Abstract
The present study reports and discusses the genesis of zincian chromite in the ultramafic xenoliths from the Dongripali area, Bastar craton, Central India. The zincian chromite is in the ultramafic xenoliths of Bengpal supracrustal rock hosted by Neoarchaean Bundeli gneisses. Compositionally zincian chromite shows a range of Cr2O3 (39.69 to 51.66 wt%), Al2O3 (05.30 wt% to 08.71 wt%), FeO (21.74 wt% to 27.51 wt%), Fe2O3 (10.19 wt% to 19.36 wt%) with higher ZnO content ranging from 1.73 wt% to 4.08 wt%. Accordingly, their Cr# [Cr/(Cr + Al)] varies in a narrow range from 0.83 to 0.85. Its calculated melt composition supports metamorphic or post-magmatic nature rather than common occurrences such as inclusion in diamonds, meteorites, and association with any sulfide-rich mineralised belt. This reveals that the post-magmatic processes play a vital role in transforming chromite to zincian chromite. The empirical thermometric calculation from chromite, amphibole, and pyroxene support their metamorphic origin and formed during low-P and high-T amphibolite grade facies of metamorphism (~ 700 °C). The Neoarchaean granitic magmatism has a significant role in generating and transferring the heat during contact metamorphism with hydration of ultramafic xenoliths and further alteration, i.e., serpentinisation. The olivine is a major repository for Mn, Zn, and Co in peridotite/ultramafic; these elements get mobilised during the metamorphism and serpentinisation. This is a possible reason for the mobilisation of zinc and incorporation in the chromite within altered ultramafic. As a result, chromite-rich ultramafic xenolith subjected to metamorphic process gets enrichment of Zn and Fe due to elemental exchange. It converts common chromite into zincian chromite, as reported in altered ultramafics elsewhere.
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Acknowledgements
The petrographic studies of zincian chromite rich ultramafic were carried out using LEICA DM RX at the Regional Petrology Laboratory, Geological Survey of India, Central Region, Nagpur, India. The silicate and oxide phases analyses were performed using a CAMECA SX-100 electron microprobe analyzer at the National Centre of Excellence in Geoscience Research (NCEGR), Geological Survey of India, Bangalore. The authors would like to express their sincere thanks to officials of the SEM, Palaeontology Laboratory, Geological Survey of India, Hyderabad and EPMA laboratory, NCEGR laboratory, Bangalore and the colleagues of GSI associated with exploration in the area. The authors also want to express their sincere thanks to Prof. Shoji Arai for discussion and critical comment to improve the manuscript in initial stage. The authors are thankful to Shri S. N. Mahapatro for his technical support. The authors acknowledge Geological Survey of India, Ministry of Mines, Government of India for funding the opportunity to work in this projects. Last but not the least the authors are thankful to Dr. Wubin Yang and anonymous reviewers for their critical review and constructive comments. The authors express sincere thanks to Dr. Binbin Wang, editor for providing opportunity and encouragement to submit the manuscript in the journal.
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Karmakar, A., Meshram, T., Asif, M. et al. Petrogenesis of the Neoarchean zincian chromite within ultramafic xenoliths, Bastar Craton, India. Acta Geochim 42, 471–487 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11631-023-00596-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11631-023-00596-9